Improvement in fire-escapes



' ZSheets-Sheetl. I. H. NEVINS. FIRE-ESCAPE.

No.178,4'57. Patented June 6,1876.

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FIRE-ESCAPE. No.178,457' Patented June6,1876

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NPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. NEVINS, OF GREEN BAY, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-EIGHTHS OF HIS RIGHT TOJAMES W. NEWKIRK, OF FORT HOWARD, AND THREE- EIGHTHS TO GEORGE B.OOATES, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,457, dated J une 6,1876 application filed April 1, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. NEVINS, of Green Bay, Browncounty, and Stateof Wis consin, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification The nature of myinvention consists, first, in the novel means for elevating andsuspending the staircases second, in the novel construction of parts forcarrying the folded staircases back into the cornice or onto the top ofa roof; third, in the novel construction of a brake for controlling themovement of the staircases and platforms ;-fourth, in the novelconstruction of latches for locking the staircases fast after they havebeen elevated.

V, Sheet 1, represents an inclined carriage, which is to be made ofiron, and, on buildings having cornices, is to have a section of corniceattached to it, as shown at A, the building being shown at H. The twoends ot' this carriage extend back between anti-friction rollers W, Fig.2, Sheet 1, which are pivoted to a suitable frame, V, secured to theroof or top of a building. The object of this arrangementis for thepurpose of running the carriage back onto a building after the escapehas been elevated and folded in the carriage. The means to attain thisend consist ofa drum, h, gear-wheels g t, and an ordinary crank. A rope,6, runs over drum h, pulleys w w a, and fastens to the lower slottedrail E D of the escape. 1) represents a catch, which is pivoted to theshaft of pulley a, and extends down to the lower slotted rail D E of theescape when folded, as it is in the carriage V, Fig. 2, Sheet 1, itslower end being hooked under to support the escape as folded. A bar, 0,is pivoted to the catch 1b, and its opposite end is provided with a hookcatching over the pin d, fastened to the carriage V. The end so catchingover the hook is to be held to the pin d by a short spring. The objectof this arrangement is .to keep the folded escape up above the roof inits movement over the roof, in case the rope e is slaokened.

O O, &c., represent depending hangers, jointed together at such distanceapart as to fold inward without coming in contact with each other. Theupper hanger is to hang to a pivot-rod, B, fastened to the carriage V, arod, B, connecting the upperhangers C, as support-rods B connect themiddle parts of the central hangers O by universal joints, so that whenthe hangers are folded the rods B Will lie'iiat on stairs. Diagonal rodsG are connected to the rods B by collars, so as to slide when the stairsare folding, the ends of the rods having knobs on them to bind the partswhen the stairs are suspended. Short bracing-struts are pivoted to therails A D, and to bars B, to better support the parts so connected, and,being pivoted, fold with-,the other parts. The stairs are composed ofdouble stiles a, to which are pivoted, by double pivots, steps 1. Thetop ends of the stairs are pivoted to rails.A and D, and their lowerends slide in slots in folding so as to lie flat, the pins on whichthe'lo'wer ends of the stairs slide holding the latter firm.

In Figure 1, Sheet 1, is shown an elevation of the escape suspended onthe face of a building, the lower section thereof being partly folded.cape folded in the cornice. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a plan view of theescape as it appears on the root of a' building; Fig. 4, a detachedelevation of one of the stops used to incline the suspending-rods inwardwhen folding; Fig. 5, an elevation of the brake.

The inclined frames V, supporting the rollers W, are secured to the roofby means of lugs 7 7 7 7.

The means for elevating and drawing the escape back onto the roofconsists of ropes c J running over horizontal pulley 10, Fig. 3, of adrum, h, gear 9 t. 5 is a pawl operating on aratchet on the shaft ofwheel i to lock the escape in the position required after it is folded.The drum h, gear 9 i, and ropesc J are used to lower or suspend theescape, and, to prevent accident, a brake is constructed as follows: InFigs. 5 and 1, (Fig. 5 being enlarged,) K is a friction-wheel on thesame shaft of the drum h against which bears a shoe, L, pivoted to asubstantial frame. The

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the esmeans for bringing this shoe withforce against the wheel K consists of a wedge, N, forced in between aWedge-shaped piece, 0, and a resisting-block, 15, the parts N 0 beingheld in place against a frame-piece, 16, by a cap-plate, 14, placed overthem, as shown in Fig. 5, Sheet 2. A stop, 16, is placed above the part0 to keep it from rising up. Between the shoe L and the part 0 areplaced rubber or spiral springs 20, that a yielding force may be broughtagainstthefriction-wheel K. A rope,

S, is used to operate the brake-lever M, and it passes through the roofat 2, and either extends down on the inside or outside of a building, asdesired. The rope t for operating the pawl 5 passes through the samehole 2, and comes down side of rope S. Ropes 3 3 are attached tocarriage V, Fig. 3, pass over rollers 4 4, and through hole 2, for thepurpose of pulling the folded escape over the edgeof the roof, if by itsweightit should not so move when it is to be suspended. The means forinsuring the inward movement of the suspending-rods G consist of stops12, Fig. 4., placed on the platform to be placed on' the rails (orattached) A D, preventing the rods from moving in any other direction infolding.

It is well here to state that, as shown at Fig. 3, therc aresuspending-rods and rails on both sides of the stairs, and that they areheld the proper distance apart by suitable rounds.

I do not claim anything on the construction of the double-stiled stairs,as substantially the same construction has been-used before. 7

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 7 1. The combination ofthe sectional suspending-rods G with rails A D, rods B B B, braces G,and struts T, with stairs n m k, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The stairs, constructed as set forth, combined with slotted rails DA, and suspendingrods 0, as set forth.

3. In a folding fire-escape, the supportingrods G G B B with the rails AD, and suspending-rods O, as described.

4. The. catch 1), rod 0, in combination with the rollers d w w and ropee, for drawing the folded escape onto a roof,as described and shown.

5. In a fire-escape, the brake, consisting of the drum K, shoe L,springs 20, Wedges O N, and lever M, with a suitable pawl and ratchet,

as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN H. NEVINS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. MONROE, E. GRooKER.

